Archive for August 26th, 2009

I read an article in todays newspaper that really interests me. It was about a Labrador Retreiver that was trained to help an autistic boy deal with his disabilities. According to the Bergen Record, the boy has difficulty transitioning from home to school and has outbursts which are common in autistic children. His mother says that the dog’s calming presence helps. The dog is kept on his dog leash and causes no problem at school. The school objects to this and says that they already provide him with adequate service for his autism. Although they may provide adequate service, does this prevent the boy from his outbursts? If the dog helps calm the boy and causes no harm, this author believes that he should be allowed to stay in school. A county judge allowed the dog to accompany the boy to school until the case goes to trial in November. What do you think? Dogs are smart creatures that have the ability to help the handicapped. Why not let them in schools to help with autism? Students allergies of course must be considered before a dog is allowed in the classroom.